Five loaded, one empty. That's the cowboy load — and it's been the standard safe carry for single-action revolvers since the Colt Peacemaker hit the frontier in 1873. It wasn't a suggestion back then. Cowboys who carried six on six had an uncomfortable tendency to shoot themselves in the leg when their horse stumbled.
Single-action revolvers have no transfer bar safety. If the hammer rests directly on a live round and something strikes that hammer — a fall, a bump, a holster snag — the gun fires. The fix is simple and takes about ten extra seconds to do properly. There's no good reason not to.
What You'll Need
- — A single-action revolver — this applies to any SAA-style gun without a transfer bar safety
- — Five rounds — not six. If you find yourself reaching for a sixth, read this again.
- — A clear, safe area — loading and unloading should always happen pointed downrange
Load One, Skip One
Open the loading gate and load one round into the first chamber. Now skip the next chamber — leave it empty. Close the loading gate. This empty chamber is going to sit under the hammer when you're done, and that's exactly the point.
Why load one first? Because the skip needs to land in the right place. Loading one round first gives you a reference point to count from.
Load Four More
Open the gate again and load the remaining four chambers in sequence. You now have five loaded rounds and one empty chamber — but the empty is not yet under the hammer.
Close the loading gate. Now carefully cock the hammer to half-cock (the loading position), and manually rotate the cylinder until the empty chamber clicks into position under the hammer. Lower the hammer slowly onto the empty chamber. That's the cowboy load.
Verify Before You Holster
Before the gun goes in the holster, verify. Open the loading gate, rotate the cylinder, and visually confirm the empty chamber is under the hammer. Then holster. This takes four seconds and is non-negotiable. Make it a habit and you'll never skip it.
"Load one, skip one, load four more. Say it until it's automatic."
Pro Tips
Modern SAA replicas may have a transfer bar safety — check your specific gun's manual. If yours has one, it's mechanically safe to carry six. But the cowboy load is still good practice and keeps you in the habit for any gun that doesn't.
Airgunners: Most CO2 revolvers have their own safety mechanisms, but running through this loading sequence builds authentic muscle memory for when you're handling the real thing at a range or a match.
Five rounds is still five rounds. In the history of the frontier, nobody ever lost a gunfight and thought, if only I'd had that sixth cartridge. Load it right, carry it safe, and ride easy.
The Backyard Cowboy
March 13, 2026